Environmental Studies Program Requirements

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Faculty

  • Jonathan Amburgey
  • David Baddley
  • Matthew Baker
  • Bonnie Baxter
  • Christy Clay (Chair)
  • Lance Newman
  • Jeff Nichols
  • Brent Olson
  • Michael A. Popich
  • Xiumei Pu
  • Tiffany Rivera
  • Michael Zarkin

View Environmental Studies Courses

Program Goals

  • Use interdisciplinary and intersectional approaches to analyze the complexity of environmental issues and potential responses.
  • Communicate environmental knowledge effectively, to specialized and general audiences.
  • Collaborate effectively to understand environmental issues and potential responses.
  • Engage in and reflect upon work that improves the environment in which living beings live, work, and play.

Objectives

Environmental Studies is an interdisciplinary program combining the perspectives of the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences to provide students with multiple perspectives in some of the most challenging and exciting fields of inquiry today: the relationship between humans and the natural world, along with issues of conservation, preservation, pollution, climate change, rehabilitation, mitigation, endangered species, international development, and global change. The program emphasizes experiential learning and encourages students to pursue internships, research, and off-campus study experiences. The B.A. or B.S. degree in Environmental Studies can lead to careers working with business, industry, nonprofit environmental organizations, formal and informal education, and federal, state, and local governments, including jobs in National Parks and National Forests, in addition to continuing studies in graduate school in science or law. The minor in Environmental Studies provides a useful multidisciplinary supplement to studies in other fields.

Program Requirements

Students interested in the Environmental Studies major or minor should, during their first year, choose a faculty advisor who is a member of the Environmental Studies faculty and plan to meet with them for an in-depth conversation about the program and their degree options.

Students must meet the university-wide graduation requirements in addition to the Environmental Studies major:

  • 124 total hours
  • 30 upper division hours
  • WCore or Honors College requirements

Environmental Studies Major—Bachelor of Science Degree

Requirement Description Credit Hours Prerequisites
I. World Language Requirement 8  
Environmental Studies majors must complete eight credit hours in a single world language.    
II. Required Core Courses 21  
BIOL 203 Introduction to Ecology 4 DATA 220
CHEM 111 Principles of Chemistry I and Lab  4 Co-requisites: CHEM 111R recommended/MATH 144 required
CHEM 112 Principles of Chemistry II and Lab  4 CHEM 111
DATA 220 Introduction to Statistics 4  
ENVI 101 Environment: Science, Society, and Culture 4  
ENVI 201 Green Careers 1 ENVI 101 and sophomore standing
III. Tools and Methods 6-8  
Take two of the following courses in consultation with your advisor:    
ART 345 Video Production  4  
COMM 240 Media Writing 4  
CMPT 201 Introduction to Computer Science  4 MATH 101
COMM 210 Media Writing I 4  
DATA 350 Statistical Modeling 4 DATA 220
ENVI 305 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 4  
ENVI 361 Writing the Environment 4 ENVI 101
ENVI 420RR Community-Based Natural Resource Management -- must be enrolled in the Round River Study abroad semester 3  
ENVI 430RR Biological Field Methods -- must be enrolled in the Round River Study abroad semester 3  
MATH 201 Calculus I 4 MATH 144 or by placement test

IV. Experiential Learning

 3  
Take three credit hours from the following courses:    
ENVI 301 Field Study (can be taken more than once) 1-4  
ENVI 330 Extended Field Study (course cannot be used elsewhere) 4 ENVI 101
ENVI 331 Environmental Cooperation and Conflict -- must be enrolled in the Westminster Expedition 4  
ENVI 401 Directed Study 1-4  
ENVI 440 Internship 1-4  
ENVI 450 Undergraduate Research 1-4 ENVI 101 and instructor permission
A course taken during a study abroad or off-campus experience may also be accepted but cannot be counted for credit elsewhere.    
V. Environmental Studies Electives 8  
Take eight credit hours from the following list or with advisor approval; only four credit hours may be earned during May Term:    
ART 313 Environmental Art 4  
ECON 325 Environmental Economics 4 ECON 253 or 263
ENVI 203 Climate Resilience  4  
ENVI 300 Special Topics in Environmental Studies 1-4  
ENVI 301 Field Study (can be taken more than once) 1-4  
ENVI 305 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 4  
ENVI 330 Extended Field Study (course cannot be used elsewhere) 4 ENVI 101
ENVI 332 Landscape and Meaning -- must be enrolled in the Westminster Expedition 4  
ENVI 333 The Native West -- must be enrolled in the Westminster Expedition    
ENVI 334 America's Best Idea -- must be enrolled in the Westminster Expedition 4  
ENVI 340 Special Topics in Environmental Sciences (may be taken more than once) 4  
ENVI 350 Special Topics in the Civic Environment 4  
ENVI 351 The Global Environment 4 ENVI 101
ENVI 352 Water in the West  4 ENVI 101
ENVI 353 Environmental Movements  4 ENVI 101 or instructor permission
ENVI 355 Special Topics in Environmental Humanities and Social Sciences  1-4 ENVI 101
ENVI 363 Gender and the Environment 4 ENVI 101 or instructor permission
ENVI 364 Spiritual Ecology 4 ENVI 101
ENVI 365 Literature of the Environment 4 ENVI 101
ENVI 370 Theories of Nature  4 ENVI 101
ENVI 440 Internship 1-8 ENVI 101
HIST 202 America's Best Idea  4  
HIST 320 Environmental History of the US  4 One lower division HIST course or ENVI 101
JUST 344 Environmental Justice 4  
PHIL 307 Environmental Ethics  4 PHIL 102
PLSC 327 Environmental Politics 4  
VI. Science and the Environment Concentration 20  
Take twenty credit hours from the following list or with advisor approval, of which, sixteen must be 300-level or above; only four credit hours may be earned during May Term.    
BIOL 202 Organisms and Evolution 4  
BIOL 204 Principles of Genetics  4 CHEM 112
BIOL 205 Introduction to Cell Biology 4 CHEM 112
BIOL 300 Special Topics  1-4  
BIOL 303 Microbiology 4 BIOL 204, 205, and CHEM 112
BIOL 306 Aquatic Biology 4 BIOL 203, CHEM 112, DATA 220
BIOL 310 Plant Biology and Lab  4 BIOL 202, 203, 205, and CHEM 112
BIOL 404 Advanced Ecology and Lab 4 BIOL 202, 203, CHEM 112 and MATH 240 or DATA 220
CHEM 303 Organic Chemistry I and Lab 4 CHEM 112
CHEM 304 Organic Chemistry II and Lab  4 CHEM 303
CHEM 306 Quantitative Analysis and Lab  4 CHEM 112 and PHYS 151 or 211
CHEM 307 Instrumental Analysis and Lab 4 CHEM 112 and PHYS 151 or 211
CHEM 320 Inorganic Chemistry and Lab 4 CHEM 112
ENVI 102 Ecology of Food Systems  4  
ENVI 115 Science of the Environment 4  
ENVI 305 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 4  
ENVI 410RR Applied Conservation Biology -- must be enrolled in the Round River Study abroad semester 3  
ENVI 415RR Applied Ecology -- must be enrolled in the Round River Study abroad semester 3  
ENVI 435RR Introduction to Natural History -- must be enrolled in the Round River Study abroad semester 3  
ENVI 340 Special Topics in Environmental Sciences (may be taken more than once) 4 Variable
ENVI 341 Environmental Toxicology 4  
GEOL 107 Geology of the American West 4  
GEOL 111 Geology of National Parks  4  
GEOL 205 Climate Science & Consequences  4  
PHYS 151 Principles of Physics I and Lab  4 MATH 144
PHYS 152 Principles of Physics II and Lab 4 PHYS 151 or 211
PHYS 211 Physics for Scientists and Engineers I and Lab  4 MATH 144
PHYS 212 Physics for Scientists and Engineers II and Lab  4 PHYS 211
PSYC 388 Environmental Psychology 4 PSYC 270 and PSYC 216
PUBH 320 Environmental Health 4 PUBH 305
WCSAM 104 Explorations in Oceanography  4  
WCSAM 202 Isotope Biogeochemistry 3  
VII. Senior Capstone 2-4  

ENVI 405

OR

WCSAM 400

Senior Capstone -- offered spring (this course fulfills the WCore "Making Connections" requirement)

OR

Science Capstone (by advisor approval)

4

OR

2		  
Total Hours for the BS in Environmental Studies Major 70-72  

Recommended Plan of Study for Environmental Studies—Bachelor of Science Degree

Fall Semester Spring Semester
Year 1 BIOL 203
CHEM 111
DATA 220
WCore course (3-4)		 CHEM 112
ENVI 101
WCore course (3-4)
WCore course (3-4)
Year 2 Environmental Studies elective (4)
Language course (4)
WCore course (3-4)		 Language course (4)
Science Concentration course (4)
WCore course (3-4)
ENVI 201 (1)
Year 3 Science Concentration course (4)
Tools course (4)
WCore course (3-4)
Or off-campus experience		 Science Concentration course (4)
Experiential Learning course (1)
Environmental Studies elective (4)
Or off-campus experience
Year 4 Environmental Studies elective (4)
Experiential Learning course (2)
Science Concentration course (4)		 ENVI 405 Senior Capstone (4) OR
WCSAM 400 Science Capstone (2)
Tools course (4)
Science Concentration course (4)

Environmental Studies Major—Bachelor of Arts Degree

Requirement Description Credit Hours Prerequisites

I. World Language Requirement

 8  
Environmental Studies majors must complete eight credit hours in a single world language.    

II. Required Core Courses

 17  
ENVI 101 Environment: Science, Society, and Culture 4  
ENVI 201 Green Careers 1 ENVI 101 and sophomore standing
ENVI 351 The Global Environment 4 ENVI 101
ENVI 361 Writing the Environment 4 ENVI 101
ENVI 370 Theories of Nature  4 ENVI 101

III. Science Elective

3-4

  
Students must take one of the following courses in consultation with their advisor:    
BIOL 202 Organisms and Evolution  4  
BIOL 203 Introduction to Ecology  4 DATA 220
ENVI 102 Ecology of Food Systems  4  
ENVI 115 Science of the Environment 4  
GEOL 107 Geology of the American West 4  
GEOL 111 National Parks Geology  4  
GEOL 205 Climate Science & Consequences 4  
PSYC 105 Bust That Psych Myth 4  
WCSAM 104 Explorations in Oceanography 4  

IV. Tools and Methods

 6-8  
Take two of the following courses in consultation with your advisor:    
ART 180 Exploring Photography 4  
ART 345 Video Production  4  
COMM 210 Media Writing I  4  
DATA 220 Introduction to Statistics 4  
ENVI 305 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 4  
ENVI 420RR Community-Based Natural Resource Management -- must be enrolled in the Round River Study abroad semester 3  
ENVI 430RR Biological Field Methods -- must be enrolled in the Round River Study abroad semester 3  
HIST 240 Making History 4  
PLSC 390 Research Methods  4  
SOC 390 Social Research Methods  4  

V. Experiential Learning

 3  
Complete three credit hours from the following courses:    
ENVI 301 Field Study (can be taken more than once) 1-4  
ENVI 330 Extended Field Study (course cannot be used elsewhere) 1-4 ENVI 101
ENVI 331 Environmental Cooperation and Conflict -- must be enrolled in the Westminster Expedition 4  
ENVI 401 Directed Study 1-4  
ENVI 440 Internship  1-8  
ENVI 450 Undergraduate Research  1-4 ENVI 101
A course taken during a study abroad or off-campus experience may also be accepted but cannot be counted for credit elsewhere.    
VI. Society and Culture Concentration 22  
Complete twenty-two credit hours    
ART 313 Environmental Art  4  
ECON 325 Environmental Economics 4  
ENVI 203 Climate Resilience  4  
ENVI 300 Special Topics in Environmental Study 1-4  
ENVI 301 Field Study (can be taken more than once) 1-4  
ENVI 305 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 4  
ENVI 330 Extended Field Study (course cannot be used elsewhere) 4 ENVI 101
ENVI 332 Landscape and Meaning -- must be enrolled in the Westminster Expedition 4  
ENVI 333 The Native West -- must be enrolled in the Westminster Expedition 4  
ENVI 334 America's Best Idea -- must be enrolled in the Westminster Expedition 4  
ENVI 350 Special Topics in the Civic Environment 4  
ENVI 352 Water in the West  4 ENVI 101
ENVI 355 Special Topics in Environmental Humanities and Social Sciences  1-4  
ENVI 360 Special Topics in Environmental Humanities 1-4  
ENVI 363 Gender and the Environment 4 ENVI 101 or instructor permission
ENVI 364 Spiritual Ecology 4 ENVI 101
ENVI 365 Literature of the Environment  4 ENVI 101
ENVI 410RR Applied Conservation Biology -- must be enrolled in the Round River Study abroad semester 3  
ENVI 415RR Applied Ecology -- must be enrolled in the Round River Study abroad semester 3  
ENVI 435RR Introduction to Natural History -- must be enrolled in the Round River Study abroad semester 3  
ENVI 440 Internship 1-8  
ENVI 450 Undergraduate Research 1-4 ENVI 101
HIST 202 America's Best Idea  4  
HIST 320 Environmental History of the U.S.  3 One lower-division HIST course or ENVI 101
HIST 365 Utah and the West 3 One lower-division HIST course
JUST 344 Environmental Justice 4  
OEL 120 Outdoor Leadership  4  
PHIL 307 Environmental Ethics 4 PHIL 102
PLSC 327 Environmental Politics and Policy  4  

VII. Senior Capstone

 2-4  

ENVI 405

OR

WCSAM 400

Senior Capstone -- offered spring (this course fulfills the WCore "Making Connections" requirement)

OR

Science Capstone (by advisor approval)

4

OR

2		  
Total Hours for the BS in Environmental Studies Major 63-65  

Recommended Plan of Study for Environmental Studies—Bachelor of Arts Degree

Fall Semester Spring Semester
Year 1 WCore Course (3-4)
WCore Course (3-4)
Language I (4)		 WCore Course (4)
WCore Course (3-4)
Language II (4)
ENVI 101 (4)
Year 2 Science Distribution course (4)
WCore course (3-4)
WCore course (3-4)
Elective (1)		 ENVI 361 Writing the Environment (4)
WCore course (3-4)
WCore course (3-4)
Tools and Methods course (3-4)
ENVI 201 (1)
Year 3 ENVI 351 The Global Environment (4)
Elective (1-4)
Experiential Learning course (1-4)
ENVI 370 Theories of Nature (1-4)
Or off-campus experience		 Elective (4)
Tools and Methods course (3-4)
Or off-campus experience
Year 4 Experiential Learning course (1-2)
Elective (4)		 ENVI 405 Senior Capstone (4) OR WCSAM 400 Science Capstone (2)
Elective (4)

Environmental Studies Minor

Requirement Description Credit Hours Prerequisites
I. Required Courses 19-20  

A. ENVI 101 Environment: Science, Society, Culture (4)

B. Experiential Learning (3-4)Complete at least three credit hours from the following courses:

  • ENVI 301 Field Study (1-4) (can be taken more than once)
  • ENVI 330 Extended Field Study (4) (course cannot be used elsewhere)
  • ENVI 331 Environmental Conflict and Cooperation (4) -- must be enrolled in the Westminster Expedition
  • A course taken during a study abroad or off-campus experience may also be accepted but cannot be counted for credit elsewhere.

C. Environmental Studies Distribution (12)

One course in each of Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences, chosen from the lists below or in consultation with your advisor:		    
Humanities

 

    
ART 313 Environmental Art 4  
ENVI 332 Landscape and Meaning -- must be enrolled in the Westminster Expedition 4 ENVI 101 or a HIST WCore course
HIST 202 America's Best Idea 4  
ENVI  360 Special Topics in Environmental Humanities 1-4  
ENVI 361 Writing the Environment 4 ENVI 101
ENVI 363 Gender and the Environment 4 ENVI 101 or instructor permission
ENVI 364 Spiritual Ecology 4 ENVI 101
ENVI 365 Literature of the Environment 4 ENVI 101
HIST 320 Environmental History of the U.S. 3 One lower division HIST course or ENVI 101
PHIL 307 Environmental Ethics 4 PHIL 102
Natural Sciences      
BIOL 203 Introduction to Ecology  4 Pre- or co-requisite: DATA 220
ENVI 102 Ecology of Food Systems 4  
ENVI 115 Science of the Environment  4  
ENVI 305 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 4  
ENVI 410RR Applied Conservation Biology -- must be enrolled in the Round River Study Abroad Semester 3  
ENVI 415RR Applied Ecology -- must be enrolled in the Round River Study Abroad Semester 3  
ENVI 430RR Biology Field Methods -- must be enrolled in the Round River Study Abroad Semester 3  
ENVI 435RR Intro to Natural History -- must be enrolled in the Round River study abroad 3  
GEOL 205 Climate Science & Consequences  4  
Social Sciences      
ECON 325 Environmental Economics 4 ECON 253 or 263
ENVI 331 Environmental Conflict and Cooperation -- must be enrolled in the Westminster Expedition 4  
ENVI 333 The Native West -- must be enrolled in the Westminster Expedition 4  
ENVI 351 The Global Environment 4 ENVI 101
ENVI 352 Water in the West 4 ENVI 101
ENVI 353 Environmental Movements 4 ENVI 101 or instructor permission
ENVI 370 Theories of Nature 4 ENVI 101
ENVI 420RR Community Based Natural Resource Management -- must be enrolled in the Round River Study abroad semester 3  
ENVI 425RR Humans and the Environment -- must be enrolled in the Round River Study abroad semester 3  
JUST 344 Environmental Justice 4  
PLSC 327 Environmental Politics and Policy 4  
II. Electives 4  
Four additional hours chosen in consultation with the student’s minor advisor. Choose from the list above or with advisor approval.    
Total Hours for the Environmental Studies Minor 23-24